The letters stand for jack, queen, king and ace, and the suit completes the hint. For example, the clue [K♣︎] at 27A is king of clubs. In this puzzle, these are golf clubs, and the king is TIGER WOODS, the golf champion. Similarly, the [Q♥︎] at 44A should be read as queen of hearts, also known as a MATCHMAKER.

Today's Mini Crossword had me digging into my geometry memory to solve 8-Across. The answer to 5-Down is what I said to myself when I finally figured it out. Looking for all the right words? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, July 8, 2025: The answer is Decay. The answer is Elope. The answer is Bible. The answer is Torus. The answer is Stash.